Wakefield man assaulted after stopping to help motorist

Wednesday

Jan 9, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Samantha Allensallen@fosters.com

WAKEFIELD — Police continue to investigate an unusual attack reported on Fellows Road over the weekend, where a Wakefield man said he was assaulted after he pulled over to help a man having his car trouble.

Wakefield Police Lt. Mark O'Brien said Michael Paquette, 24, called police to report the crime which occurred some time between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Paquette told police he pulled over on Fellows Road off Wakefield Road to help a man described as white and in his 30s, with a mustache, who was driving a green Toyota vehicle with Maine registration plates.

O'Brien said that according to the officer's report he reviewed, Paquette was helping the man with his tire when he heard the man say something.

“(Paquette) turned around and said 'What did you say?' and he just got knocked out,” O'Brien said.

Police confirmed Paquette told them after he was struck, none of his belongings were taken by his assailant.

O'Brien said Paquette estimated he was left unconscious on the side of the road for about an hour, though he said authorities continue to investigate the time line. Police plan to have a follow-up interview with the victim, who refused a medical transport at the time but later went to the hospital for his concussion.

O'Brien said police also plan continue to canvass the neighborhood to collect any additional witness statements.

O'Brien noted Fellows Road is a very busy road on Saturday mornings, when people travel to the nearby town dump, and he hopes anyone who saw Paquette unconscious or the vehicles stopped will call the station with what they recall from the scene.

“This is a really safe community here and people do go out of the way to help each other,” O'Brien added. “The last thing we want is for people to not offer to help people. It's a busy road so we have lot of things to look at here.”

Paquette told WMUR he is a member of the National Guard and was on his way to training when the incident occurred.